Toasting machine



Sept. 17, 1935;

P. re. SIMMONS 2,014,595

Fil'ed F sh; 15, 1952 4 Sheets-Shee't 1 INVENTOR. 7/704 R 5/M/70/Y6,

ATTORNEYS.

Sept; 17, 1935. P. RQSIMMONS 'TOASTING MACHINE 'Filed Feb. 15, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. E91 4 7?, -5/MMO/V-5.

ATTORNEYj.

Sept. 17, 1935. P. R. smmous I 2,014,595

' .TOASTING MACHINE FiledIeb. 15, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 7771/: Z". Sm/rams ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 17, 1935 I UNITED STATE r 2,014,595- TOASTING moms Paul R. Simmons, Marion, ImL, assignor to Rutenber Electric .00., tion Application February 15,

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a toaster of the electrical heater type. This toaster, as illustrated, has a capacity anywhere from one to six or more slices of bread. The chief object of this invention is to toast bread by an initial drying operation and follow the same by final toasting the surface thereof to form toast, said toast being formed by passing the bread slices througha compartment, heat being applied simultaneously to opposite sides of the slices, and to a greater degree initially for quick drying and then followed by a lesser degree thereafter for toasting.

Another object of the invention consists in preventing excessive drying of successive bread slices prior to toasting thereof.

Oneform of the invention is illustratedas of the reciprocatory type.

Another form of the invention-is illustrated as of the same type, with the addition of an automatic buttering device, while a third form of the invention is illustrated as of the continuous toasting type. i

The common subject matter consists of magazine and toasting compartments separated by a heat venting passage and associated movable mechanism for transferring a single slice from the magazine to ,the toasting compartment for toastng and the d=scharge of toast therefrom together with an arrangement for accommodating slices of different thicknesses. I

The fullnature, of the invention will be un derstood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:-

Fig. 1.is a longitudinal sectional view-through the toaster, but it is not taken in a. single plane.

Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the toaster with the housing .and cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofa modified form of toaster, parts being broken away to show other parts inelevation and .other parts in longitudinal section.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 3, the housing and cover being omitted. V

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. land of a modifled form of the invention, the cover and housing being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 5, with the cover and housing removed.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the power mechanism and is taken approximately in the plane 'l--lofFig.5.

I Fig. 8 is a sectional view' of a further modified Marion, Ind., a corpora- 1932, Serial No. 592,999

form of the invention with the cover and housing omitted and is similar to Figs. 1, 3 and 5.

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8 and is taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8 and in the direction of the 5 arrows. 2 v

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a portion of a further modified form of. the invention, the casing being removed. Y r

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, It indicates 10 the base and suitably secured thereto is a bottom member It to which is secured a main frame structure supporting the motive power, the bread slice supporting and advancing mechanism, the toasting mechanism and the toast discharge mechanism. Telescopically associated with the base and suitably secured thereto is a housing I2 which is suitably louvered at i3; A cover It, is mounted upon the upper end of the housing and is louveredat I5. The cover includes a centrai opening defined by a downwardly directed peripheral flange l6 and the same is of such size and. outline that it will accommodate the largest. size bread slice.

' In the lower right hand portion of the housing, there is mounted at H an electric motor IS, the rotor of which is directly connected to worm I9 which drives a worm wheel 20. Worm wheel 20 through'the pin type pinion 2! drives the gear 22. Worm wheel 20 and pinion 2| are v arms 3| and 29-see Fig. 2are positioned at opposite ends of therock shaft 30.

A substantially square or rectangular tubular magazine 3| is suitably supported by the members I 0, II and M and the flange defined opening l6 communicates therewith. An inclined guide 32 is rearwardly directed with reference to the magazine discharge outlet 33. Opposite the discharge outlet 33 is an opening 34 and an angularly sectional slice pusher member 35 is adapted to reciprocate to and fro through the opening or port 34., The pusher 35 is pivotally connected, in the present form of'the invention, at 36 to a link structure 31 secured to aplatform fOrmin'g slat 38. The magazine 3| at opposite sides includes a substantially horizontal slot 39, terminating at trated as an elongated rod that extends into and projects on beyond the slot 39 terminating at 40 for its forward end. The slot 39 at its rearward, end is curved as at ll and is extended downwardly as at 42. platform formingmembers 31 and 38 with their connecting pintles 35 are provided, said pintles also extending into and projecting beyond the L-shaped slots set forth.

Pivotally mounted below guide 32 adjacent'out let 33 is a tiltable restraining guidev plate or bar 90, one trunnion 9| mounting a lever arm 92 connected to a tension spring 93 anchored at 94. This bar or plate not only acts as a guide but also as a bar or stop to the forward movement of the second lowest slice into the toasting compartment. If the lowest slice is thicker than usual, the plate will be tilted by the slice and itis permitted to pass under the tilted bar into thetoasting compartment. When the thick slice has passed beyond the bar, it is returned to its normal position by spring 93.

It will be apparent that when the member 35 is projected through the opening 34 in the magazine toward the shutter 90, the substantially vertical face of said transferring ejector will engage" the rear edge of the lowermost bread slice and force the same forwardlythrough the opening 33 into the toasting compartment for toasting. At the same time the platform members 38 follow the member 35 and support the second lowest slice and all the superposed slices during the transferring interval. The wall 30' forms the opening 33. Pivotally mounted in the opening is a second shutter 99' similarly provided to permit the passage of an extra thick slice of bread therebeneath.

The shutters 90 and 90 serve to retain heat in the toasting compartment and restrain the. passage of heat into the storage compartment.

The walls 30* and 32 form a flue or chamber which is vented at l5, thereby insuringsubstantially uniform coolness inthe slice compartment. This prevents excessive drying of superposed slices therein and'subsequent scorching or burning of these slices later in the partment.

After the lowermost slice has been pushed forwardly into the toasting compartment, the slice is suitably removed-from the same; as by the star wheel 53 and the transfer mechanism is retracted, which, when the member 35 returns to its full toasting comline position, as shown in-Fig. 1, permits the previously platform supported lowermost slice to descend in the magazine the depth of approximately one slice.

To facilitate the transfer of slices from the magazine to the toasting compartment and to support the slices in the magazineand to protect the power mechanism from the crumbs, an inclined stationary guide is provided; the same be-' ing inclined downwardly and extending forwardly in the magazine and indicated by the numeral 43. Said inclined platform guide is suitably anchored as at 44. The member 35 is suitably slotted as at 45 to permit platform 43 to extend therethrough to provide clearan e for the platform in the movement of the mem r 35 from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 o the dotted line or ejecting position showneimthe same flgu're.

The bottom of the magazine chamber is closed by .themembers 46 which are spaced apart forming a slot 41. Straddling the slot 41 and mounted therein, is a cross head construction, indicated A plurality .of linkages and structures.

9,014,095 v40. The pivotal connection 35 is herein illusgenerally by the numeral 48, which has a pair of depending cars 49 that include a transverse connecting pin 50. Pin J0 rides in longitudinal slot 5| of the arm 3| of the bell crank construction. Thus, the cross head is reciprocated to and fro by ,the pin in the slot 51 and in the rotation of the gear 22 through the mechanism previously described. The transfer and ejecting member 35 is suitably secured at 52 to the cross head for movement therewith. Platform l3 see Fig. 1protects the cross head mechanism and motor from crumbs descending into the same.

Suitably supported near the forward end of the toaster is a heatingcompartment which has its inlet corresponding with the magazine outlet 33 and the discharge 54. The housing l2 includes the portion 55 that registers therewith and pivotally supported adjacent the opening 56 at 51 is a door 58 which, when opened, forms a platform extension for toast discharge.

Mounted within the toasting compartment formed by the members 59 and suitably supported by the base and forming a clear passage therebetween and in alignment with the openings 55, 54, 53 and 33, are the upper and lower heating Each heating structure includes a plurality of heating elements, indicated generally by the numeral 50. These heating elements are positioned closest to the passage at the inlet end of the passage and preferably are positioned toasting passage and then the finishing operation, or final toasting, is obtained by the more remotely spaced heating units. Suitable switch means not shown, may control the heating units and usually a single source of electrical energy controlled by a single switch supplies the heating units with energy and the motor I8 with energy? f It will be-apparent from Fig. 1 and the dotte line position ofthe member 35, that after the bre'adslice has been pushed forwardly so that its rear edge corresponds to the dotted line position of the element 35, no further movement can be expected from this transferring mechanism,

' and inasmuch as the shoes are superposed and the transfer mechanism has not moved completely across to close the shutoff at the bottom of the magazine, additional means must be provided for positively removing the slice through the toasting chamber and passage. Said means is herein illustrated as a shaft 6| which mounts in spaced relation a plurality of pointed star wheels 62 and these star wheels are interposed between the slice supporting bars 63 that extend across the toasting chamber from inlet to outlet. The shaft 8| upon its free end mounts the pinion 64 which meshes with gear wheel 22.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention and in said figures, the same parts, or similar parts, are indicated by identical reference numerals. The additional structure disclosed in this modification consists of a buttering device and the same is incorporated within the housing structure which is made sufliciently long to accommodate the same. The buttering device includes a chamber 10 which has one wall suitably slotted at 1| for clearance of the starwheel toast ejecting star wheels 52 carried by shaft II. The gear ,in this instance, meshes witha pinion I2 sup,-

ferring cylinder I5. Opposite side walls of the chamber III are slotted as at I6, forming open bearingsfor the cylinder supporting shaft 11.

The portions of the shaft receivable by the slotsare the reduced end I8 at one end and the annuiar recessed portion '19 at the other end of said. shaft II, which mounts the gear I4. The buttering cylinder is provided with a plurality of conical depressions 80. The cylinder when rotating in the chamber 10 carries upwardly in each depression a small globule of melted butter due to capillary attraction. The toast, being absorbent upon engaging the cylinder of the buttering del vice, absorbs the. butter and thus one side of the pertinent may be readily cleaned by removing the.

toast slice is automatically buttered. The heat from the toasting mechanism, by reason of positioning of the compartment III adjacenttlie toasting compartment, insures that the-butter will be in a liquid condition.- The butter combuttering cylinder III.

In Figs. 5 to '7 of the drawings, there is illustrated a'modified form of the invention and in said figures the sam'e parts, or similar parts, are indicated by reference numerals similar to those. employed in Figs. 1 and 2 and increased by 100.

The modification shown consists of an endless articulated transfer device of the-endless belt type and it is to be understood that this structure may be embodied in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 without departing from the scope thereof.

In the drawings, the support platform is indicated by thenumeral I43, the forward inclined: hopper forming member by the numeral I32, the

discharge outlet of the magazine by the numeral I33, and the tiltably mounted gate structure by with the gear I22, in turn driven by the pin pinion I2I mounted on shaft I 23 which supportsthe \worm wheel I28 meshing with the worm N9 of the motor I I8; Herein there is interposed between gear I22 and the driving pinion I2I, a reduction gear otallysupported bear u supported at I52 and adjustably secured by means construction, indicated generally by the nume'ral Illle, IIII 'and'IOIa "Ihegv'enting flue or chamber arrangement is formed between members I30 and I32 while the slice accommodating feature is provided by member ISO-and I90.

In thisform of the invention, the member I33 tion and at opposite sides ofthe magazine. A

shaft I50 mounts the sprockets I49 that engage the chains I31 and thus the chains are rotated. The idler sprockets I48 are mounted at the rear end of the device ona'sh ft I44. Associated with shaft I44 at opposite e s are suitable ten-.- sion or tightening means i the form of a pivof theset screw I38 mounted in the slot 0.

The shaft I 50 terminates in a gearv I29'that ember I 43 pivotally meshes with the gear. I22 mounted on shaft I25. The operation of the device is as follows:The slices are positioned in'su rposed relation in the magazine. The motor i energized and the heating elements are energized. The conveyer mechanism then proceeds and the first of the two conveyor members I35 engages the lowermost slice bearing on'the platform I43 and forces the slice from the right to the left and out through the discharge opening of the magazine and into the 0 toasting compartment. The transfer device I35 then moves downwardly and rearwardly. To'insure continuous and progressive movement of the slices to be toasted, a plurality of transfer devices are mounted upon the chains. wheel conveyor I62 causes slice movement through the heating compartment and slice dis charge therefrom. y

In Figs. 8 and 9 a modified form of the invention is illustrated. In this form like or similar parts bear numerals of the 200 series. In this form of the invention the endless chain conveyor extends completely through the machine longitudinally while the power mechanism therefor is positioned slightly different from the previous forms so that greater compactness can be obtained. In this form four slice engaging members are provided.

t In Fig. 10 there is illustrated a modified form of the device. Herein similar numerals of the three hundred series indicate like or similar parts. To insure successful operation or feeding. of fresh (three hour) bread slices, an agitator arrangement is provided. Wall 332 is shown pivotally supported at 332 and is tilted counterclockwise to engage the bread slices as the conveyor 33I- 'moves forwardly. In this movement carrier member 345 engages depending arm 303 of a lever pivoted at 302 and connected at 3M to link 300 connected to the wall 332 at 332. The con- 4 nection 332 passes through the slot 332, sothat this mechanism is external of the magazine and opposite from the mechanism 390, 8!, 392 and 393,-also illustrated herein.

To make a universal toaster produce the de- 5 adjusting toggle arrangement, are caused to move toward or away from each other, depending upon the voltage employed, as well as the amount of toasting desired. The upper lever 363 is longer than the lower one so that the top. heating unit 330 moves more than the bottom unit for adjustment.

The invention claimed is:-

1. In a toaster, the combination of .a magazine arranged to receive a plurality of superposed, bread slices, a platform at the bottom of the magazine upon which the slices normally rest, 65 a toasting compartment adjacent the magazine having an inlet and outlet, the inlet communizine tothe toasting compartment, and a venting The star 15 flue between the magazine and toasting compartment.

2. In a toaster, the combination of a magazine arranged to receive a plurality of superposed bread slices, a platform at the bottom of the magazine upon which the slices normally rest, a toasting compartment adjacent the magazine having an inlet and outlet, the inlet communi eating with the lower portion of the magazine, the inlet and outlet being arranged for the passage of the slices therethrough, a transfer ,device mounted above the platform and having a portion arranged to engage the lowermost slice of bread at the edge remote from the toasting compartment inlet for moving the slice from the magazine to the toasting compartment, a platform carried by and movable with the transfer device for supporting the superposed slices while the transferred slice is being moved, and a venting flue between the magazine and toasting compartment.

3. In a toaster, the combination of a toasting compartment having an inlet and outlet, means arranged to progressively present to the compartment and pass therethrough successive slices for toasting, and a plurality of heating members positioned in said-compartment above and below the path of slice movement, the heating members adjacent the initialportlon of the path being positioned closer together upon opposite sides of themaththanthe heating elements adjacent the discharge end of the path .of movement.

4. In a toaster, the combination of a toasting compartment, a :plurality of heating means in spaced relation for forming a substantially horizontal toasting passage therebetween, and a progressively movable slice engaging mechanism for insuring positive movement of the slice through the toasting passage, said heating means being arranged so that the heat applying portions adjacent .the initial portion of the passage are closer together than the heat applying portions at the discharge end of the passage.

5. In a toaster, the. combination of a toasting compartment, heating means therein arranged to simultaneously toast both sides of a slice in the passage of the slice therethrough, a buttering trough its lower portion rotatable in the butter com-.

partment and projecting above the same and engageable by one face of the slice in the discharge of the slice from the toasting compartment.

6. In a toaster the combination'of a magazine arranged to receive a" plurality of superposed immediatelyadjacent the heating means in the toasting compartmentderiving heat solely communicating with thelower portion of the magazine, the inlet and outlet being arranged for the passage of a slice therethrough, an articulated transfer device having a portion arranged to engage the lowermost slice of bread at its 5 edge remote from the inlet and move the slice from the magazine to the toasting compartment, and a venting flue betweenthe magazine and toasting compartment.

7. In a toaster the combination of a magazine arranged to receive a plurality of bread slices in superposed relation, 9. toasting compartment adjacent thereto and having an inlet and outlet, the inlet communicating with the lower portion of the magazine, the inlet and outlet being arranged for the passage of a slice therethrough, an articulated transfer device having an upper portion arranged to engage the lowermost slice of bread at its edge remote from the inlet and move while supporting the slice from the magazine to the toasting compartment, and additional slice moving means positioned in the toasting compartment and operating in timed relation with the transfer device for slice movement in the same direction.

8. In a toaster the combination of a magazine arranged to receive a plurality of superposed bread slices, a toasting compartment adjacent thereto and having an inlet and outlet, the inlet communicating with the lower portion of the magazine, the inlet and outlet being arranged for the passage of a slice therethrough, an articulated transfer device having an upper portion arranged to engage the lowermost slice of bread at its edge remote from the inlet and move while supporting the slice from the magazine to the toasting compartment, and additional slice movspaced relation to form a toasting passage, a

magazine adjacent the compartment, a vented flue therebetween, and slice moving means arranged to transfer the slice from the magazine to the toasting compartment. 1

10. In a toaster, the combination of a magazine 5 arranged to receive a plurality of superposed bread slices, a toasting compartment adjacent thereto, slice moving means in the bottom of said magazine, the latter having a lateral discharge, one wall of the magazine being tiltably mounted, and means, operable by the slice moving means for tilting said tiltable wall in timed relation to the movement of the slice from the magazine.

PAUL R. snmous. e0, 

